AIR Dog’s School Therapy Dog Program Partners with Hopewell Valley School District
This is a special series highlighting a new partnership with the Hopwell Valley Regional School District and the AIR Dog’s School Therapy Dog program with the goal of teaching and certifying HVRSD staff dogs to become certified AIR Therapy Dogs. AIR offers a full comprehensive program that not only teaches and certifies each individual handler/dog, but teaches all the handlers/dogs to work together as a cohesive school team. We are highlighting each recently certified AIR Therapy Dog team from the district. To learn more about this initiative, please read here.
Rosetta Treece lost her son, AIC Ronald Jenkins Treece, to suicide just over 2 years ago. At 21 years old, he had just finished a year with the United States Air Force.
“He was a kind soul who was always helping others,” said Rosetta. “He is why I do the work I do, in his loving memory.”
Rosetta, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction for Hopewell Valley Regional School District, recently trained her dog, Bruno Mars, with Attitudes in Reverse to become a certified AIR Dogs: Paws for Minds Therapy Dog.
“I have seen first hand the power of therapy dogs on people who are struggling emotionally or grappling with a traumatic experience,” she said. “Seeing the dogs’ ability to uplift grievers in the middle of a traumatic loss has been so powerful.”
“After having experienced such horrible loss, I feel compelled to do whatever I can to teach others the importance of mental health and reaching out for help,” she continued. “Being a part of AIR allows me and Bruno to offer that support to others.”
Rosetta first saw AIR dogs during their annual visits to the high school during finals. “We then had a traumatic loss and were able to use AIR as a resource to help to heal our community.” she said.
Last year, the district partnered with the AIR’s School Therapy Dog program to train and certify staff dogs in pet therapy.
“I am so proud of our partnership with AIR,” she said. “ The experience has really deepened my relationship with my colleagues and my pup. We all have grown closer as a result of going through this training together.”
Rosetta was captivated by Bruno Mars sitting on the sidewalk with a couple who was trying to find him a new home; they couldn’t take him when they moved. She and her husband adopted him last July and kept his name.
“From the very beginning, Bruno exhibited such a gentleness and sweet disposition,” said Rosetta. “He is just a bundle of love.”
Rosetta brings Bruno to her workplace in the district’s central offices, but he was a popular visitor to the elementary schools earlier this year.
“He’s providing therapy to everyone,” she said. “He loves the younger kids; that’s his favorite.”
“There’s no ‘I had a bad day’ with Bruno,” Rosetta continued. “The therapy dogs are always giving you their best.”
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